


i want to complicate you

by HaveYouSeenATimeLord



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Phantom - Susan Kay, Phantom of the Opera - Lloyd Webber
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Drunkenness, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Semi-Public Sex, Sexual Tension, Texting, erik does tech, everyone else is an actor, there's a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 19:43:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7374913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaveYouSeenATimeLord/pseuds/HaveYouSeenATimeLord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meg: raoul’s mad at u</p><p>Erik: Raoul’s always mad at me. –E</p><p>Meg: he tweeted and it said “i’m sad about hot guys who don’t know they’re hot” and i was like. it’s mister broody mask guy isn’t it? and now he’s at my house drinking a lot of diet coke and attempting to play those compositions you left by the piano last week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i want to complicate you

**Author's Note:**

> erik is marginally less creepy in this. marginally.
> 
> i feel like i should note that the two biggest phantom related things i enjoy are susan kay’s phantom and asherhyder’s roommates comic so. judge me as you will. you can probably imagine erik as muirin007’s erik, bc they’ve been my favorite phan-artist since i got into the phandom (which was when i was like,,,12 rip me)
> 
> they are young but not like, really young? raoul and christine are in their early twenties, meg is a bit younger, maybe like 19/20ish and erik is like…35ish??? idk. He also has a full mask bc susan kay and leroux ftw.
> 
> i’m american and this takes place in america probably? so pants = trousers and suspenders = braces, although feel free to imagine the other thing like. u do u.
> 
> i don’t know how suits are measured what are clothes
> 
> title is from far too young to die by panic! at the disco

                “So I was telling Meg, ‘just because you’re not the only blonde doesn’t mean you won’t get to play Lucy,’ and Erik can you please just say something? I’m tired of talking about audition drama.”

                Erik looked down and swirled his coffee. “Christine, you know I have even stronger opinions about this than you do. And there’s a very strong chance that Meg will get Lucy.”

                Christine smiled, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “How big of a chance?”

                “I…embellished her resume a bit. She is a newcomer, but so are the directors. And they need input from someone who’s been there longer.”

                “Erik, have I ever told you how great you are?”

                “Well, you are my best friend. So you tell me a lot.”

                Christine flung her arms around Erik, and Erik attempted to save both of their coffees from spilling, and somehow succeeded.

                “Am I interrupting something?” It was Raoul, another actor at the theatre. Christine smiled at him and Erik pouted a bit. Just because he didn’t like Christine in _that way_ didn’t mean he liked not having her attention.

                “Nothing at all, just a few innocents trying to enjoy caffeine without pretty boys interrupting.”

                “Hello Erik, nice to see you’re as rancid as usual.” Erik grunted, which Raoul took as invitation to sit down. “Do you have any inside knowledge about the new managers? I want to know if they’ll keep casting Carlotta in roles that are too young for her.”

                “You just want to stop having to kiss her. Although, as you are our main male lead I suppose that’s fair.”

                “Come on, do you know anything or not?”

                “I’m just a set designer.”

                Christine snorted. “And lighting designer, sound designer, costume designer, fight choreographer, accompanist, and occasional composer.”

                “Assistant costume designer, actually.” Raoul looked slightly flabbergasted, Erik almost felt sorry for the blond boy. “You win, Raoul.” Erik put up his hands in surrender. “I’m assuming you know that you’re going to be Jonathan Harker. He’s different from your other leads, you get to stab someone. Which is cool.” Raoul frowned. “What?”

                “You said the word ‘cool.’ You’re not a human, you shouldn’t say ‘cool.’”

                “What am I, then, if not a human?”

                “A vampire, probably.”

                “Does it look like this coffee has blood in it?”

                Raoul looked, and then shook his head. “I can’t bloody tell, I only drink tea.”

                “Fucking hipster,” Erik growled.

                “Okay boys, tone it down a bit?” Christine held them back from each other. She turned to Raoul. “He’s right, though.” Then she turned to Erik. “Don’t act like you aren’t one either.”

                Erik harrumphed and grudgingly went back to sipping his coffee as Raoul sat on the other side of the table and talked to Christine about some novel, every once in a while glancing at Erik.

                After Raoul left, Christine turned to face Erik. “Remember earlier, I told you guys to tone it down a bit?”

                “What of it?”

                “I was talking about the sexual tension.”

                Erik choked on the scone he was eating.

#

                “Nice view I’ve got here.”

                Erik almost smacked his head on the top of the fireplace set piece he was working on. “Don’t you know not to disturb a man who is constructing a secret tunnel? It’s for your benefit, anyways. I could very easily make it too small for you to fit. You may get stuck. And I’m sure I’d have a good laugh at trying to see those fools Andre and Firmin trying to get you _un_ stuck on opening night.”

                Raoul’s face looked grim. “I already knew I didn’t have a self-preservation instinct. List of things not to do if you want to live: Number 1, don’t piss off Erik.”

                Erik just sighed and went back to the fireplace tunnel.

Raoul coughed. “So…are you and Christine like a thing?” Erik almost smacked his head a second time.

“ _What?_ ”

“You and Christine? Dating? Question mark?”

“No, oh God no.”

“Why not? She’s great.”

Erik rolled his eyes, though Raoul couldn’t see it, and pulled out of the tunnel to sit on his heels. “If you were to ask her, she’d say it was because I am ‘gayer than Grantaire,’ although I am lacking an Enjolras at the moment.”

“Oh. _Oh_. Okay. How’s that working for you?”

“Look, if you’re going to be another homophobic douchebag – ”

“No no no! I just meant with the, uhm, thing,” he gestured towards his face. Erik touched the edge of his mask and smiled tightly.

“It doesn’t most of the time.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a fact of life for me.

Raoul gave Erik a smile that was actually mildly heartwarming. “I’m gonna, ya know, go now.”

“They’re posting the cast list in an hour.” Erik mumbled.

                “Thanks.” And he was gone.

                It was only later that Erik remembered Raoul’s first comment and cringed at the fluttering in his stomach.

#

                “I’m so happy I don’t have to kiss Carlotta, oh jump for joy!” Raoul spun into the costume shop and wrapped his arms around Erik, jumping up and down. Erik attempted to untangle himself but only managed to unpin his arms from the shorter man’s embrace.

                “Why are you here, Raoul?” Erik sighed, completely sick of Raoul’s antics.

                “Madame Giry said that my other suit didn’t fit right. I’m here to be measured for a new one.”

                Erik went behind the counter to grab the measuring tape. When he stood up, he found himself chest to chest with the blond. Ignoring the sudden proximity, Erik began measuring Raoul’s arms. “Christine is playing Mina, isn’t she?”

                “Yes, and I’m very happy. We actually get along on stage.”

                “Do you get along as a, er, couple?”

                “On stage, I guess.”

                “Do you like kissing her?”

                “As much as one can enjoy a stage kiss.” Raoul frowned. “Erik, I have no interest in Christine outside of friendship, if that’s what’s bothering you.” Erik didn’t even want to admit to himself the _other_ part of why he was asking. “Chris is a friend, and a lovely actress. But my interests lie elsewhere.”

                “Elsewhere?”

                Raoul sighed, as if he thought Erik was incredibly stupid. “I’m an effeminate man who does theatre and frequents clubs, where do _you_ think my interests lie?”

                Erik was thankful his mask covered his blush. He was in the process of measuring across Raoul’s chest, and when he looked up he saw Raoul looking at him with one eyebrow quirked. Erik made an interesting sound in his throat before he spoke. “Well, we’re on the same page, then. Done.” He took a step back from Raoul, then another for good measure. Raoul’s eyes sparkled.

                “You’re a strange one, Erik,” he said, before ducking out the door. Erik promptly collapsed into a chair.

#

                Christine was giggling hysterically. “I can’t believe you didn’t know Raoul was gay.”

                “It wasn’t very obvious, stop laughing.”

                “Erik, he always plays Mercutio in the summer productions of _Romeo and Juliet_.”

                “So?”

                “His favorite movie is _The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert_.”

                Erik did admit she had a point with that one.

#

                _Dracula_ had one of the best opening nights Erik had ever seen at the theatre, right next to _The Drowsy Chaperone_. Christine made a much better leading lady than Carlotta, especially in the role of Mina. Raoul was a very convincing Harker, even during the (frankly cheesy) staking scene. And Erik was almost preening at the fact that he was the reason Meg joined the theatre. The girl Erik used to give piano lessons to had turned into an absolute _diva_. He _loved_ it.

                Erik had mulled about the lobby, talking to the cast and congratulating them. He had bought roses to give to Christine, a safety precaution in case she didn’t get any from her admirers. It seemed like she had plenty of those tonight, her arms being weighed down with bouquets as she made her way to her dressing room, and Erik was tired. And when Erik was tired, he was known to make rash decisions. This is how he found himself knocking at Raoul’s dressing room door, not prepared for the other man to open it wearing only pants with suspenders, no shirt. He managed to stammer out “Hey, this is for you, good job.”

                Raoul accepted the roses with a look of shock on his face, smelled them, and then set them gently on the table. Erik stood in the doorway for what felt like forever before Raoul moved forward, making Erik flinch when he touched his arm, feather light. “Thank you, Erik.”

                Erik squeaked, oh god _squeaked_ , and fled.

#

                Erik wasn’t going to go to the cast party. But it was at the Giry’s house, and the Girys had an actual grand piano, and he hadn’t touched real ivory keys in _so long_ , godammit. Erik was so weak. The evening was winding down, and he was playing _All About That Bass_ , which sounded surprisingly good on the piano, when an extremely drunk Raoul plastered himself to his side.

                “Sounds pretty good,” Raoul slurred.

                “That’s because I’m not drunk out my ass. If Chris were to describe you right now, she’d day you were ‘bitch-ass shitfaced’.”

                “Pshhh,” Raoul said and fell on the piano keys.

                “Okay, that’s it, I’m taking you home.” Raoul didn’t even argue as Erik led him out to his car parked by the curb. “Did you drive here?”

                “Nah, Meg brought me from the theatre.” Erik nodded, letting Raoul get in the shotgun side. He wasn’t drunk enough that he couldn’t walk, and therefore wasn’t drunk enough to puke.

                “What’s your address?” Raoul made a noncommittal noise. “Raoul, listen to me. Where do you live?”

                “S’too far away. Can I just sleep here?”

                “I need to go home too, Raoul. Are you allergic to cats?”

                “No.”

                “Good.” Erik only lived about a mile away. When they entered the house, Ayesha started rubbing Erik’s leg almost immediately. Raoul smiled and Erik felt a flurry in his chest. “Okay, you’re going to sleep now.” He hauled Raoul over to the bedroom. “Do whatever, okay? Just get some rest.” Erik made to leave when Raoul grabbed him and pulled him to where he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

                “Erik…” Raoul murmured, before pressing his lips firmly to a spot directly below the edge of Erik’s mask. Erik recoiled instantly.

                “Raoul, don’t do this.”

                “Why not?”

                “You’re not in your right mind right now, okay? You need to rest.”

                Raoul groaned. “Fine.” He proceeded to flop face first on the bed.

                “I’ll get you some water.” When he came back Raoul was already asleep.

#

                Erik shouldn’t have left the bathroom door open. Erik shouldn’t have done a lot of things, actually, one of which included taking the damn mask off in the first place. He stared at Raoul’s reflection in the mirror, white as a sheet, and felt like punching himself in the face multiple times. “Can I help you?” Erik asked, sternly, his voice dropped from his usual pitch. Raoul shook his head and skittered out the doorway into the kitchen, where Erik heard him scuffling around in the cupboards. He sighed and combed his fingers through his hair, gently putting his mask back on. He turned to exit, then turned back and grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet.

                Raoul was holding his head, sloshing some Cheerios around in a bowl when Erik sat down, wordlessly holding two ibuprofen out to him. Raoul accepted with a weak smile. “Hey, Erik, I’m sorry about, ya know, earlier, I just-”

                Erik shushed him. “It’s fine, you’re fine, we’re fine.”

                “Okay.” It was silent. Suddenly, Raoul chuckled, and Erik looked up at him sharply. “Sorry, it’s just I half thought that you lived in the theatre.” Just then, Ayesha jumped up on the counter and meowed at Raoul, who scratched her behind the ears.

                “Ayesha seems to have taken a shine to you.” Raoul smiled.

                “Don’t you get lonely, Erik?”

                “Sometimes. But it’s a given, isn’t it? Do you actually expect me to be able to find people who don’t mind seeing my face?”

                “You never give anyone the chance.” Raoul stiffened as Erik glared at him. “About last night, Erik…”

                Erik exhaled tensely. “Can we just. Not talk about it?”

                Raoul stretched out his hand and grabbed Erik’s. “You’re not alone. You don’t have to hide from what makes you uncomfortable.”

                “I _like_ hiding.”

                The doorbell rang. Erik pulled his hand sharply away from Raoul, who looked a little like a kicked puppy. Taking long strides towards the door, Erik opened it and was immediately and embarrassingly pushed aside by little blonde Meg Giry. “Oh, where is that boy?”

                “Looking for me, Meg?” Raoul asked, sticking his head around the corner. Meg whapped him on the head with her purse    .

                “You can’t just disappear like that! You had me worried! You know my mama doesn’t like it when my parties get out of control! Plus, Philippe wouldn’t stop texting me asking where you were.”

                “Erik helped me with my hangover,” said Raoul with a glance at the other man.

                “How do you know that cereal wasn’t laced with drainer fluid?” Erik sneered.

                “I’m not dead yet, am I?” Meg chose this moment to wheel Raoul towards the door.

                “Okay, well I’m just gonna take you home now, so that you can stop your brother from freaking out, and maybe tell me where you’re going next time? Hmm? How does that sound?” Raoul nodded, frightened by Meg’s tone, which had often bullied Erik when he made her play her least favorite piano exercises.

                Meg bustled out the door, but Raoul turned back to Erik, stony faced. “Take care of yourself, Erik.”

                The door slammed behind him.

#

                Erik’s phone beeped, interrupting his _Downton Abbey_ marathon.

                _Meg: raoul’s mad at u_

**Erik: Raoul’s always mad at me. –E**

_Meg: he tweeted and it said “i’m sad about hot guys who don’t know they’re hot” and i was like. it’s mister broody mask guy isn’t it? and now he’s at my house drinking a lot of diet coke and attempting to play those compositions you left by the piano last week._

                Erik froze. Did Raoul really call him hot? Erik wasn’t hot. He didn’t have enough of a face to be hot.

                **Erik: Are you sure it was about me? –E**

_Meg: positive, he literally just moaned about how ur mask makes u look mysterious and brooding._

                Erik groaned.

#

                Erik held the phone up to his ear with his shoulder as he swept the stage. There were no windows, but he knew it was night time, and there was no one else in the theatre. Everyone knew he liked to do his work at night, and everyone knew he liked to do it while alone. What they didn’t know is that he did have company in Christine’s voice while she ate her dinner.

                “Anyway, I don’t really have an opinion on what shows we do next season. I mean, obviously I’d like to do a musical, but other than that…” Erik hummed non committedly. “Erik? I have a confession to make.”

                “What did you do now?”

                “I kind of sent Raoul over to the theatre so you’d be forced to talk to him.”

                “What?”

                “I’m sorry Erik! But it’s been a week and you stopped coming to coffee so you could avoid him, even though he’s been asking about you.”

                “He’s probably just worried because I’m eccentric.”

                “No Erik, he’s been asking me like, questions about your relationship status and stuff. He really likes you Erik, but you keep pushing him away.”

                “I don’t want to force him.”

                “He doesn’t need to be forced. At least just talk to him, but preferably make out or something, release the tension. For everyone’s sake, okay Erik?”

                “Fine.” Erik heard a squeal before Christine hung up.

                “Was that Christine?” Raoul’s voice asked from the doorway, startling Erik.

                “Yes, it was.”

                “She’s always meddling.” He hopped up onto the stage. “So, do you want to talk about it? What are we doing?” Raoul gestured between the two of them. Erik searched his head for words, but instead of saying them, he grabbed Raoul by the shoulders and pulled the shorter man up for a rough kiss. “This works too,” Raoul said, surprised, before leaning into Erik again. They sunk down to their knees on the stage, both men letting their hands roam over one another.

                Raoul sucked a line of kisses down Erik’s neck, unbuttoning his shirt as he did so. Erik proceeded to make mewling noises, which made Raoul chuckle, sending reverberations through Erik’s skin. Erik found the hem of Raoul’s t-shirt and pulled, making a disappointed noise when Raoul pulled back to get the shirt over his head. He swiftly reattached himself to Erik’s collarbone, and Erik dug his fingers into Raoul’s back, bringing them closer.

                Raoul mouthed a line of kisses down Erik’s chest, stopping to lightly suck at one of his nipples, which made Erik moan softly. “Are we really gonna do this on the stage?”

                Erik pulled back and looked at him. “Stranger things have happened.”

                Raoul kissed Erik before moving his hands to start undoing his pants. “God, Erik, you’re something else.” Erik groaned as he pulled his dick free from his trousers, and he groaned louder when he saw Raoul doing the same. “Fuck, Erik, I want my mouth around your cock.”

                “Not enough time for that now.” Raoul frowned. “Later, pup, later,” Erik said quickly, and Raoul looked back at him with a brilliant smile. Erik kissed him again, and wrapped one bony hand around both their cocks. “Damn. I literally just cleaned this floor.” Raoul huffed out a laugh and started rutting against his palm.

                Erik was glad that Raoul kept up a constant stream of dirty talk; it kept him anchored and with a hope for the future. “I want your cock inside me, Erik, god I want you to hold me down and fuck me like you mean it. Please, I want to taste you,” he breathed out, and Erik sped up his hand.

                It wasn’t long before they both came, Erik with a moan and Raoul with a yelp, their teeth clashing together as they went in for another kiss. Raoul kissed Erik gently as he got up to go get some paper towels to clean themselves up.

                Once they were back in their clothes (and Erik had re-mopped the stage), Raoul scratched the back of his neck. “Uh…that was nice.”

                “I’m glad.” Erik could feel his face heating up. “I suppose you’ll be leaving now?"

                “Well, it is getting kind of late.”

                “I see,” Erik said curtly.

                “Hey,” Raoul said, coming up to Erik and cupping his face. “I’m not leaving because I didn’t enjoy. It really is just getting late.” He showed Erik his phone as proof, which told him it was 1 a.m.

                “And you won’t…regret this in the morning?”

                Raoul laughed softly. “I could never. And remember all the things I said I wanted? I still expect those to happen.” He kissed Erik gently. “Come to dinner with me tomorrow night? We’ll go to that Italian place you like.”

                Erik nodded. “Okay. Okay, yes. Yes.”

                Raoul broke into another face-splitting grin. “Great. I’ll pick you up at 6.” He swooped in to give Erik another deep kiss before he turned to leave. “Take care of yourself, Erik.”

                “You too, Raoul.” He smiled to himself.

                Ten minutes later, Erik got three texts in a row.

                _Meg: raoul just tweeted “when a guy is hot and ALSO a good kisser” which makes me assume you guys did the hanky panky so. congrats old man._

_Christine: oh my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_Raoul: <3 <3 <3_

**Author's Note:**

> the thing about gay guys giving better stage kisses is based off of real life events. um. yeah.
> 
> tbh, most of the events (or at least background events) and places are based off of Real Theatre Things That Have Happened. it’d be easier to list the things that haven’t happened in real life.
> 
> like u think i’m exaggerating like. no. even the stage sex scene is based off of a real story involving my friends .
> 
> three guesses who erik’s fave character on downton is. (hint: which one is sad and gay?)
> 
> anyways. i'm open for prompts on tumblr (officialalexanderhamilton or lordbyron.co.vu).


End file.
